'A different rivalry': Ravi Shastri on India-Pakistan matches
What's the story
Former head coach of the Indian cricket team, Ravi Shastri, has given his take on the fierce rivalry between India and Pakistan in international cricket. His remarks come just before the much-awaited clash at the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.
India's current head coach, Gautam Gambhir, had earlier said that every game in this tournament is equally important. However, Shastri had a different take on The ICC Review with host Sanjana Ganesan.
Rivalry insights
Shastri's take on India-Pakistan rivalry
Shastri, who was India's coach for seven years, admitted that there is more to an India-Pakistan match than meets the eye.
He said, "I was the coach for seven years. Whenever I was asked, I said the same thing (as Gambhir). But let me assure you, deep down, there's a lot more to that than you actually think."
This statement reiterates his faith in the unique intensity of these encounters.
Rivalry validation
Ponting echoes Shastri's sentiments on cricket rivalries
Ricky Ponting, the legendary Australian captain, agreed with Shastri's thoughts on the increased intensity of some cricket rivalries.
He said, "No, there's more to it. There's more edge to these games."
Ponting went on to add that the build-up and hype around these matches are not only media creations but also show the players' desire to beat certain teams.
Past performance
Shastri dismisses impact of previous losses on India
Despite Pakistan's stunning 10-wicket win over India in the 2021 T20 World Cup, Shastri ruled out the possibility of past defeats playing on the Indian team's mind.
He said, "No, that won't play on their mind because that was a T20 game. This is a 50-over clash. It's totally different."
He also expressed confidence in India's capabilities for the 50-over clash against Pakistan.
India-Pakistan
India, Pakistan clash in only multilateral tournaments
It is worth noting that India and Pakistan do not engage in bilateral international series due to political tensions. They only face each other in multilateral tournaments.
The two countries recently clashed in the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup, where India reigned supreme. India also beat Pakistan in the 2023 ODI World Cup.
The last India-Pakistan bilateral series was held in 2012 (in India) when Pakistan defeated India 2-1 in ODIs. Besides, India last visited Pakistan in 2008.